Basketball New Zealand

Mika Vukona (Photosport)

Fico Finance Nelson Giants has beaten the Zerofees Southland Sharks for the second time in four days 82-67.

Michael Harrison had game high 23 points also grabbing 10 rebounds, while in his 300th game Phill Jones scored twenty for the home side who won the first three quarters leading by as many 25 in the third.

Giants locked the Sharks down in the early stages of the game holding them to 27 points from 33% shooting and under 13% from beyond the arc in the first half.

Mika Vukona doing most of his damage in the first half with 13 points and seven rebounds.

For the Sharks Mike Helms top scored again with 19, Luke Martin added 18 and Rene Rougeau was the only other Shark to score in the double figures with 16 points, also grabbing 18 rebounds.

Three point shooting was a problem for the visitors shooting a terrible 3/21 (14%) and also no production from the bench who were scoreless.

Giants will now travel to Hamilton for a rematch of last year’s finals against the Waikato Pistons on Friday night, which should be a more difficult task.

Tomorrow’s second quarterfinal between the Harbour Heat and Bay Hawks at the North Shore Events Centre will determine who advance to play the regular season champion Wellington Saints, also on Friday in the capital, for a spot in the best-of-three NBL Finals series.

NBL Quarterfinals

Tuesday, June 22

Quarter Final One
At Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
Fico Finance Nelson Giants 82 (Michael Harrison 23, Phill Jones 20, Mika Vukona 17) Zerofees Southland Sharks 67 (Mike Helms 19, Luke Martin 18, Rene Rougeau 16), Final
Referees – Tim Brown, Melony Wealleans, Hayden Pipe
1Q: 21-14
HT: 43-27 (22-13)
3Q: 68-49 (25-22)
FT: 82-67 (14-18)
Giants v Sharks Boxscore (24 KB pdf)